Gov. Sarah Palin released a statement last week encouraged Exxon Mobil to pay the $507 million in punitive damages plus interest awarded by the U.S. Supreme Court to plaintiffs in the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill lawsuit. The Governor has directed Attorney General Talis Colberg to write a letter to Exxon requesting prompt payment of the punitive damages to the 32,000 plaintiffs in the case.

"These people have suffered long enough," Palin said. "While Exxon may have the ability to delay payments, I strongly encourage them to bring this sad chapter in our history to a long-overdue conclusion. It is time to end the misery so everyone can move on."

The Governor is hopeful plaintiffs will receive payments this fall. So far, though, Exxon has not indicated whether it will cut checks to plaintiffs right away, or seek further reductions in the award as the case goes back to the lower courts.